Missing so much time the past two seasons has put the left-handed-hitting first baseman in position of playing catchup.

"I don't really feel the fatigue part of it," said the first baseman, who turns 26 on Aug. 25. "The mental grind hasn't gotten to me. It's taking every game as another game. Every at-bat is another at-bat, and every pitch is the pitch you've got to win. Just staying in the moment, which is what you've got to do."

He credits a change in his hitting stance for helping him improve his timing.